Q&A LURE ANGLING
Q: When might I choose one type of surface lure over another? ALAN EVANS, BY EMAIL
HG says: I’m not sure that there’s anything remotely scientific about which surface lure I turn to for bass fishing, but I can’t recall the last time I used a popper, for example.
Of course, these spitting-type lures work, but I feel far more confident with a walk-the-dog (WTD) style of surface lure and, therefore, the particular lure I choose tends to be based upon the conditions and where I need to fish my lure.
My go-to surface lure is the IMA Salt Skimmer, and then, if the conditions are a bit rougher and/or I need to get a lure out even further than the comparatively small Skimmer already goes, I will clip on something like the Xorus Patchinko.
Q: Will bass take a lure in dirty water? KRISTIAN REES, BY EMAIL
HG says: For me there are two types of dirty water – where it is permanently murky or where it is generally clear but can colour up after a storm or heavy rain in an estuary.
The bulk of my bass fishing takes place in clear water, and I think that sometimes I too readily walk away from murky water and go looking for good clarity. It’s what I am used to, whereas some parts of the UK and indeed Ireland require that lure anglers be far more used to fishing murkier water.
Q: Imagine you are off on one of those survivor shows and you can take one lure for all types of fish and conditions. I would take a 26g Dexter wedge. What would you go for? MATT EKMAN, NORTH FERRIBY, EAST YORKS
HG says: I can think of a bunch of lures that I’d take for various species and situations, but if I needed the one lure only to catch me all kinds of fish in all kinds of conditions and locations, then, for me, it has to be the Fiiish Black Minnow, most likely in the 120mm size.
I can fish this killer soft plastic in a bunch of different ways over shallow ground, in deep water, and in calm and rough conditions. The Black Minnow seems to catch almost any saltwater fish that is inclined to take a lure.
Q: When planning a shore-based bass fishing session, what weather forecasts do you use? TERRY FERGUSON, WIGAN, GTR MANCHESTER
HG says: A number of them, and as we all know, weather forecasters can, and do, get it wrong. I tend to have a quick look at the BBC forecast for the area I will be fishing, but only to get an idea of whether it’s going to rain or be sunny or cloudy.
I really like XCWeather on the internet for wind speed and direction. I think that most of the free internet-based weather forecasts are getting their data from the same sources, and it’s how they then display it that you may or may not like.
I also increasingly use Magic Seaweed for the swell forecast especially, but I also like its wind and tides.
Q: I wear a pair of jeans under my breathable waders, and after fishing I feel a bit damp. Are my waders leaking? DANIEL BARNETT, EXETER, DEVON
HG says: From bitter experience, I would suggest that any pair of breathable waders can leak due to heavy saltwater use, and they simply will not last you for a long time.
Unless you actually have leaking waders, I think it’s the jeans that are getting damp from a build-up of sweat. I layer up under my waders with some very quick-drying, non-cotton clothing, indeed, anything cotton-based is not going to help you at all when worn under waders.